# Apache Kafka vs automq

> Two self-hosted [Message Broker projects](https://selfhost.directory/message-broker), compared on the numbers selfhost.directory tracks live: score, popularity, release cadence and setup effort.

| | Apache Kafka | automq |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 83/100 ✓ | 68/100 |
| Rank in category | #1 of 12 in Message Broker | #6 of 12 in Message Broker |
| GitHub stars | 34 153 ✓ | 10 921 |
| Stars, last 30 days | +347 ✓ | +71 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 0 | 10 ✓ |
| Latest release | — | 1.7.4 · 29 Aug 2026 |
| Setup | Advanced | Advanced |
| Official Docker image | Yes | Yes |
| License | Apache-2.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Main language | Java | Java |

## Which one should you pick?

Apache Kafka scores 83/100 against 68/100 for automq, so it is the safer default.

automq ships more often: 10 stable releases in the past year, against 0 for Apache Kafka.

Apache Kafka is growing faster right now (+347 stars in 30 days).

## Details

- [Apache Kafka](https://selfhost.directory/project/apache-kafka) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/apache-kafka.md)
- [automq](https://selfhost.directory/project/automq) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/automq.md)

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Source: https://selfhost.directory/compare/apache-kafka-vs-automq